Rostam's Picture-Day Pusteen

Praise

♦ Rostam is very happily living in the United States with his mom and is in the first grade. He misses his baba (father) who is still in Iran working. As much as he has adjusted to life in the U.S., there is an upcoming event at school that has him full of worry: Picture Day. His family hopes he will wear his pusteen, a sheepskin vest with fluffy wool and beautiful embroidery that his father also wore as a boy. Rostam is dreading the teasing he imagines will come from the other kids when he wears it to school. The struggle to avoid the situation and to face his fears develops at a perfectly pitched, agonizing pace with digitally created illustrations that capture the complete emotional journey. Readers who have themselves grappled with an awkward “face your fears” moment will connect with Rostam’s struggle and celebrate with the resolution. Despite Rostam’s concerns, his classmates are exuberantly curious and exceedingly respectful; Rostam is delighted when everyone wants to try it on. Emotive illustrations capture Rostam’s anxiety and pride in his family and culture. Readers will connect with the emotional journey that he goes through on multiple levels. VERDICT Highly recommended for empathy building as well as a cultural window into a small piece of Iranian culture.
—School Library Journal, starred review

Rostam is new at school after moving to the United States from Iran with his mother. Picture day is approaching and Rostam’s mother as well as his father, who is still in Iran working, want Rostam to wear his pusteen when taking the picture. His mother explains how the pusteen is extremely special as it was passed down to him by his dad, handmade by an artist, and honors their heritage. Still, Rostam prefers to wear jeans and a sweater like the other kids and stuffs his pusteen in his backpack. After arriving at school, Rostam’s mother encourages him to put on the pusteen. He does what his mother asks and enters his classroom lacking confidence. Rostam tries not to draw attention to himself but soon his classmates approach and ask about his pusteen. He explains how special it is to him and to his surprise, his classmates do not tease him, instead, they all beg to try it on. Rostam feels like royalty and proudly wears his pusteen for his picture. He leaves school feeling brave and tells his parents he plans to wear his pusteen forever. Inspired by Bani Tahmaseb’s own childhood, this story encourages children to be brave and share who they are with others. Being different can feel scary, but it is what makes you special. This is an amazing book for any classroom. Children will find confidence in celebrating their uniqueness and appreciate others for their differences.
—Children’s Literature

In a videochat with his father, who’s still living in Iran, first grader Rostam and his maman share details of their life three months after moving to the U.S. But though his baba’s praise makes Rostam proud, he shrinks at his mother’s suggestion that he wear his father’s pusteen for picture day. As Maman explains that Iranian shepherds once wore the wool-lined vest (“Baba’s was handmade… to honor our heritage”), Rostam worries about his peers’ reactions. At school, when classmates show interest in the vest, Rostam reminds himself of his bravery and explains the pusteen’s familial and cultural significance. Mokhles’s soft-edged digital images and Tahmaseb’s sensory-oriented text gently underline the child’s feelings of interpersonal courage and intergenerational connection. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. A Farsi glossary and author’s note conclude.
—Publishers Weekly

A first grader worries that his friends will make fun of his outfit.
Rostam and his mother recently moved to the United States; his father (Baba) still lives in Iran. Though Rostam’s been in America only three months, he’s already made friends, and on a video call, Baba praises the boy for his bravery. But Rostam is nervous about his picture-day outfit: Baba’s pusteen, a traditional vest once worn by Iranian shepherds. At school, it seems as though Rostam’s fears are justified. His classmates pepper him with questions: “What’s that?” “Why’s the inside so fluffy?” Rostam remembers to be brave and explains the garment’s significance; enthralled, his classmates beg to try it on. Their admiration banishes his worries, and in a text message to his father, he says, “I’m going to wear my pusteen forever.” Mokhles’ expressive cartoon illustrations capture Rostam’s emotional trajectory. Her depictions of his family’s bright, simple home exude a relatable warmth; their “yummy rice” dinner looks especially mouthwatering. Tahmaseb offers an encouraging—and refreshing—reversal of expectations; here, the new kid isn’t bullied for his differences, but embraced for them. While many immigrant kids face discrimination, Tahmaseb mentions in an author’s note that in his own father’s case, “sharing a part of his Persian heritage ultimately led to self-acceptance and joy. It’s important to remember that stories like this exist, too.”
An affirming tale that will inspire many kids to open up about their own cultural identities.
—Kirkus Reviews